Students urged to be proud despite school’s closure

By ALPHONSE PORAU
SALVATION Army Secondary School in Port Moresby held its last graduation last week.
The school board made a decision last month to suspend the school for an indefinite period due to lack of funding and have informed the Education Department and other schools about it.
The graduation last Tuesday saw 143 Grades 10 (62) and 12 (81) students pass out.
Guest speaker and student leader Puri Iru told the graduates during the ceremony to be proud of the determination the school has shown by giving drop-outs a second chance in education.
“When I entered this school two years ago, I did not think of myself but my parents and the community of hardworking students and teachers who strive to make the school and learning place for all,” Iru said.
“When you come into a school like Salvation Army, nothing is hard, the school gives a second chance to students that drop-out.
“But not because of anything but because they see the potential in you that other schools did not see.”
He told the student that to find happiness was when you strived for success and find the real purpose in your life.
“Every one of us are alive and well and are here because of god’s plan for us,” Iru said.
“We all came in here with particular purposes that we ourselves do not know yet, as the saying goes you will find happiness where you find your purpose.
“And you will only realise that with all the time and effort and sacrifices you put in achieving what you want to achieve.
“But when you see the world crushing down on you, just remember that, success is the biggest failure through pride and arrogant, but failure is the greatest success through humility and hard
work.”